Motorbiking in Bangkok: Are two wheels better than four?

It usually happens like this: you’re tired of being squeezed into the train during rush hour, or stuck in a car during one of Bangkok’s notorious traffic jams.

So you start toying with the idea of buying your own "motosai" aka motorbike. 

It’s easier than you might think, even if you’re not a Thai national. If you have a work permit, the shop where you buy your machine will do the necessary paperwork for you. 

But before you decide to go for it, here's a list of pros and cons.

5 reasons why you should drive a motorbike in Bangkok 

1. Get to know the City of Angels 

Maybe your knowledge of Bangkok's streets is worse than the handful of “taxi Thai” words you have finally managed to memorize. 

You find yourself wondering what's going on in those neighbourhoods that look like uniform piles of concrete.

Well, riding your own motorbike gives you the chance to discover those hidden sois that are bustling with the “real Thai” life that you don't experience on the main drags of Sukhumvit or Sathorn. 

And aimlessly wondering along random streets gives you a chance to discover all those shortcuts that will come in handy the next time you're in a hurry.

2. Get around faster, spend less

The initial “taxis in Thailand are so cheap” euphoria wears off pretty quickly once you realize that a few bucks multiplied by several times a week can set you back a hefty sum by the end of the month. 

Factor in the hours stuck in traffic, the frequent "motorsai taxi" rides to and from BTS and MRT stations plus the ticket prices, and your daily commute can turn into an odyssey.  

With your own motorbike, you'll zip around the city faster and your wallet will be grateful: 100 baht of gas can buy you 100 kilometers. The money you save in two years of riding will likely make up for the cost of the initial purchase.

As for the maintenance costs, they're next to nothing. A periodical wash is 70 baht. Any repair work is also a steal. 

3. Just go. They will stop

In many other countries, crossing the incoming lane to turn into a one-way street while cars are coming at you would earn you plenty of bad looks and honking horns. 

In Bangkok, motorists around you will slow down without flinching. They really will. After some weeks of biking around, you'll find yourself happily zigzagging among columns of cars, sneaking through barriers and maybe ever riding on a sidewalk or two to get around traffic. (Not that we encourage such behavior.)  

There are plenty of small tricks that enhance your motorbike mobility in Bangkok, making for an exhilarating sense of freedom.

4. Super stylish rides 

Where else can you drive a garish violet or Kryptonite green leopard-dotted scooter with a Hello Kitty or Panda number plate frame, without eliciting giggles from fellow bikers? 

5. Enjoy the eternal tropical summer  

Forget the coats, scarves and gloves needed for a motorbike ride in most countries in the winter. In Bangkok a T-shirt is fine for most of the year, save a few December/January nights when a light jumper is necessary. But a crash helmet is essential.